Sorbonne
Sorbonne, the portion of the Universities of Paris occupying the original campus. It is located in the Latin Quarter and consists of the Universities of Paris I, III, and IV, three of thirteen interrelated but autonomous institutions of higher learning in Paris and its environs. Prior to 1970–71, when the University of Paris was reorganized, the Sorbonne was a college of liberal arts, considered the most prestigious in the university. The university as a whole also was often referred to as the Sorbonne. Today, as Paris I, III, and IV, the Sorbonne is three separate liberal arts institutions.
The Sorbonne was founded by Robert de Sorbon in 1253 as a residence hall for needy students of theology. From the 13th to the 16th century the Sorbonne was the best theological school in Europe.
In the first half of the 17th century, under the direction of Cardinal Richelieu, the structures of the Sorbonne were rebuilt. As a result of the French Revolution, the school was suppressed in 1792 and the property taken for public use. In 1808 Napoleon turned over the buildings to the reorganized University of Paris. The Sorbonne became the seat of the faculties of letters, science, and theology.
Between 1885 and 1901, the Sorbonne was enlarged and most of the old buildings were replaced. In the spring of 1968, the Sorbonne was the scene of student riots that led to a reorganization of French higher education.